Class Descriptions and Dress Code

• Class Level & Placements:  Suggested ages and levels are provided as a guide and are not the sole determining factor for class placement. Studio D considers each dancer’s age, experience, technical ability, maturity, and readiness when determining the appropriate class level. Teachers may recommend a different level when appropriate to ensure each dancer is challenged, supported, and placed in the class best suited to their development.

Tiny Tots | With or Without Caregiver

• Description: This 30-minute introductory class is designed to help our youngest dancers discover the joy of movement in a fun, nurturing environment. Dancers will be introduced to basic dance concepts through music, creative movement, simple exercises, and age-appropriate activities while developing listening skills, following directions, coordination, and confidence in a classroom setting.
• Suggested Ages:  2-3
• Recital: Tiny Tots can participate in the annual recital or be held on a session basis.
• Caregiver Classes: Classes with a caregiver are offered as 9-week sessions.
• Dress Code for Girls:  Pink leotard, pink tights, and pink ballet shoes.
• Dress Code for Boys: T-shirt, sweat pants/shorts, any color, black ballet shoes.

Ballet/Tap

3 - 6 Year Olds

• Description: This 45-minute class introduces young dancers to the foundations of both ballet and tap in a fun, age-appropriate environment. Dancers will develop coordination, rhythm, musicality, balance, and basic ballet and tap vocabulary while learning how to participate in a structured dance class.
• Dress Code for Girls:  Pink leotard, pink tights, pink ballet shoes, and black tap shoes.
• Dress Code for Boys: T-shirt with sweatpants or shorts, black ballet shoes, and black tap shoes.

Tap

Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced

• Description: Tap develops rhythm, musicality, coordination, timing, and precision through technical exercises, center work, across-the-floor combinations, and choreography. As dancers progress, they build a stronger vocabulary of tap steps and rhythms while developing speed, clarity, musical interpretation, and individual style.
• Suggested Levels & Ages:  Beginner: Ages 6–9, Intermediate: Ages 10–13,  Advanced: Ages 14+
• Dress Code: Black leotard, dance shorts, leggings or pants (optional) with tap shoes.
• Recital Note: Dancers may be asked to purchase a specific color or style of shoe or costume-related item for recital.

Jazz

Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced

• Description: Jazz is an energetic and versatile dance style that combines technical training with musicality, performance, and individual expression. Classes focus on body placement, alignment, isolations, strength, coordination, musical accents, turns, jumps, locomotor movement, across-the-floor combinations, and choreography. As dancers progress, they develop greater technical control, versatility, confidence, and performance quality.
• Suggested Levels & Ages:  Beginner: Ages 6–9, Intermediate: Ages 10–13,  Advanced: Ages 14+
• Dress Code: A Leotard with dance shorts, or leggings and slip on jazz shoes. Hair should be securely pulled back away from the face.
• Recital Note: Dancers may be asked to purchase a specific color jazz shoe or style for recital.

Ballet 

Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced

• Description: Ballet provides the technical foundation for dance training and emphasizes proper alignment, posture, strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, musicality, and classical ballet vocabulary. Classes progress through barre, center work, turns, jumps, and across-the-floor combinations. As dancers advance, they develop greater technical precision, control, strength, and artistry.
• Suggested Levels & Ages:  Beginner: Ages 6–9, Intermediate: Ages 10–13,  Advanced: Ages 14+
• Dress Code: Black leotard, pink or skin toned tights, and skin toned ballet shoes. Ballet skirt is optional. Hair must be secured in a bun.

Pre-Pointe/Pointe (Teacher Approval Required)

• Description: Pre-Pointe prepares dancers for future pointe work by developing the strength, alignment, stability, control, and technical awareness needed for pointe training. Exercises focus on foot and ankle strength, core stability, balance, alignment, and proper ballet technique.  Pointe is an extension of advanced ballet training and requires significant technical strength, control, balance, and maturity. Pointe classes focus on developing safe and proper pointe technique while continuing to strengthen the feet, ankles, legs, and core.
• Requirements:  Teacher approval is required before beginning pointe. Dancers must be enrolled in Intermediate or Advanced Ballet, as recommended by the teacher. Pointe shoes must be professionally fitted and approved by the teacher before use in class.
• Dress Code: Black leotard, pink tights, and teacher-approved pointe shoes. Ballet skirt is optional. Hair must be secured in a bun.

Company Technique and Conditioning  (Company Dancers Only | Required)

• Description:  Company Technique & Conditioning is designed to strengthen and challenge company dancers both technically and physically. Classes combine dynamic warm-ups, conditioning, strength and core work, flexibility, endurance, technique drills, and movement exercises. Dancers will also develop musicality, timing, spatial awareness, performance quality, dance etiquette, goal-setting, and overall versatility as artists and athletes.
• Requirement: This class is required for all Company dancers.
• Dress Code: Black leotard, black leggings, or fitted black shorts with skin-tone tights. Dance shoes are not required; turners are recommended. Specific attire may be requested based on class curriculum. Hair must be securely pulled back away from the face.

Leap & Turn (Suggested Ages: 9+ | Teacher Placement | Strongly encouraged for company members)

• Description: Leap & Turn focuses on conditioning and strengthening exercises designed to improve dancers’ strength, endurance, flexibility, and overall movement quality. Dancers will be introduced to a variety of jumps, leaps, and turns while developing the strength and technical foundation needed to execute new movements safely and effectively. Emphasis will be placed on proper technique, preparation, execution, and control.
• Prerequisite: Dancers should have a minimum of two years of jazz training and be enrolled in a jazz class concurrently. Teacher approval may be required for placement.
• Dress Code: Leotard, form fitting top or crop top with dance shorts or leggings. Jazz shoes or turners are required. Hair must be securely pulled back away from the face.

Lyrical

Suggested Ages: 6+ | Ballet Training Required

• Description:   Lyrical combines elements of ballet, jazz, and contemporary movement with an emphasis on musicality, storytelling, emotional expression, and connected movement. Ballet serves as the technical foundation of lyrical dance, providing the strength, alignment, control, and extension needed to execute the style effectively. Dancers will develop their ability to interpret music, communicate emotion, use dynamics, and perform choreography with intention. Classwork focuses on fluid movement, musical timing, extension, transitions, artistry, and expressive performance. Contemporary movement concepts may also be incorporated.
  Prerequisite: Dancers must have completed at least one year of ballet training.
  Co-requisite: Dancers are required to take a ballet class concurrently with this lyrical class to support technical development.
• Dress Code: Black leotard or fitted dancewear with black leggings or shorts. Bare feet are required unless otherwise directed. Hair must be securely pulled back away from the face. No socks.

Modern | Contemporary

Level I - Prerequisite: lyrical

Suggested Ages: 9–13

• Description:  Modern/Contemporary introduces dancers to movement that emphasizes breath, weight, momentum, grounded movement, strength, musicality, and artistic expression. Dancers will explore floor work, changes in level, expansive movement, improvisation, and choreography while developing greater body awareness and versatility.
• Dress Code: Black leotard or fitted dancewear with black leggings or shorts. Bare feet are required unless otherwise directed. Hair must be securely pulled back away from the face.

Level II -  Prerequisite: Modern | Contemporary I

Suggested Ages: 14+

• Description: Modern/Contemporary Level Two provides more advanced exploration of modern and contemporary movement. Dancers will develop strength, control, breath, weight shifts, floor work, musicality, improvisation, and emotional expression while working with increasingly complex choreography. Classwork may draw from foundational modern techniques and contemporary movement concepts, including elements of Graham, Horton, and Limón-based movement.
• Dress Code:   Fitted dancewear such as leotards, form fitting top, crop tops, shorts, leggings, capris, or fitted two-piece dancewear. Clothing should allow unrestricted movement and should not touch the floor. Bare feet or turners may be worn as directed. Socks may be permitted when appropriate for choreography or movement.

Hip Hop

Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced

• Description: Hip Hop is an energetic and expressive dance style that focuses on rhythm, musicality, grooves, isolations, coordination, performance, and choreography. Dancers will learn foundational hip hop movement while developing individual style and confidence. As dancers progress, choreography and movement become increasingly complex, with an emphasis on musical interpretation, versatility, performance quality, and style.
• Suggested Levels & Ages:  Beginner: Ages 5–9, Intermediate: Ages 10–13,  Advanced: Ages 14+
• Dress Code: Comfortable dance or athletic clothing such as joggers, leggings, dance shorts, or fitted tops. Clean-soled dance sneakers or hip hop shoes are required. No jeans, street shoes, or jewelry. Hair should be pulled back away from the face.

Hip-Hop Contemporary Fusion

• Description: Hip Hop/Contemporary Fusion combines the rhythm, grooves, isolations, musicality, and dynamic movement of hip hop with the fluidity, artistry, storytelling, and movement exploration of contemporary dance. Dancers will explore changes in texture, dynamics, levels, rhythm, body awareness, and musical interpretation while learning choreography that blends both styles.
• Prerequisite: Previous dance experience in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, or ballet is recommended. Placement may be based on age, experience, technical ability, and maturity.
• Dress code:  Fitted dancewear such as a leotard, leggings, fitted shorts, or dance pants. Dancers may work barefoot or in appropriate dance sneakers/turners depending on choreography.

Adult Tap

• Ages 18+
• Description:  Come tap, move, and have fun! Adult Tap is designed for dancers of all experience levels, including beginners. Classes include warm-ups, center-floor combinations, across-the-floor exercises, rhythm work, and choreography while building coordination, musicality, and confidence. No previous tap experience is necessary—just bring your tap shoes and be ready to have fun!
• Dress Code: Comfortable clothing and tap shoes. Any color tap shoes are welcome.
• Recital Note:  This class will perform in the annual recital 

Adult Street Jazz

• Ages 18+
• Description:  Adult Street Jazz is a fun, high-energy class that blends hip-hop foundations with jazz-influenced movement and performance. Dancers will explore body weight shifts, grooves, musicality, coordination, and movement quality while learning how to add their own personality and style to choreography. The class is designed to be welcoming for all experience levels, so whether you are brand new to dance or have years of training, the focus is on moving, learning, building confidence, and enjoying yourself in a supportive environment.
• Dress Code:  Comfortable clothing that allows for a full range of movement, such as leggings, joggers, shorts, or athletic wear. Clean sneakers are recommended. Hair should be secured away from the face. 
• Recital Note:  This class will not perform in the annual recital